Martyred c.541 at Messina, Italy. Placidus was the son of the patrician Tertullus, and was sent when still a child to Saint Benedict at Subiaco. In 529 he accompanied Saint Benedict to Monte Cassino, which originally belonged to Tertullus. The legend of his later life relates that Placidus went into Italy in 541, and founded a monastery at Messina, of which he became abbot. There he was martyred with thirty companions. Feast, 5 October.